Grinding machine for railway tracks



March 12, 1935. H. H. TALBOYS GRINDING MACHINE FOR RAILWAY TRACKS 2 Sheets-Sheet l ..H ,H ww

AWV w w W QW RWR Filed Nov. 2, 1932 March 12, 1935. H, H TALBQYS 1,994,152

GRINDING MACHINE FOR RAILWAY TRACKS I il NOV- 2, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 154 ny'fifor zyflAiM w 176705915. i /qya Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATEN QFFlCE:

9 Claims. (Cl. 51-12'8) My invention relates to an improvement in grinding machines for railroad tracks and has for one purpose the. provision of a simple, light and efficient grinder which. may be mounted upon or' moved along a railway track and which may be readily removed from the track.. An-. other object is the provision of an improved grinding member together with guard andhandle means therefor; Another object isth'e pro vision of improved means for maintaining the track grinder parallel to the single rail and for insuring that'it travel'readily along. said rail. Another object is the provision of an improved; release for preventing breakage .of the. flexible shafts employed. Other objects will appear from time to time in the courseof' the specification and claims Q I illustrate my invention more or less diagram-v matically in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Figure'2 is an end elevation; v

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3+3 of Figure 2; I

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3; 7

Figure 6 is-a section on the line 6-6 of .Figure 1; Y

Figure 7 is a plan View of the grinding member shown at the left of Figure l;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 3--8 of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9' of Figure 8; and v Figure l is an enlarged section on the line l0--10 of Figure 1.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A A indicate the rails of a track. Spanning these rails is the transverse shaft or tube A which is provided at one end with any suitable roller or member- A of insulating material. Rubber is a practical material for this purpose. The tube A is re-- movably secured at its opposite end to a frame generally indicated as B. This removable con-- nection is illustrated in Figure 10. I may employ for example spacing collars A and cotter pins A for holding the shaft A in position. Upon movement of the cotter pins the shaft may be readily endwise removed from the-frame.

'The frame may include longitudinally, extending angle. members 131 which are connected as by the horizontal channels B The ends of the channels B may be connected by the arcuate members B3. Dovvnwardly depending from the angles B are theflanges B to which the shaft or tube A is actually secured. Other depending 5 flanges are the members B which may receive the transversely extending axlesB of the flanged rollers B". These rollers B are shown as having oppositely inclined faces B and flanges B As will appear in Figure 2 the tendency of such a roller-is to maintain the roller in central position on the rail. This makes the machine easier to push, and prevents the roller from crowding over and prevents any substantial bearing -of the flanges B against. the sides of the ball of the rail. The rollers B may be insulated from the axles B? as by washers and sleeves B -of insulating material.

C .generally indicates any suitable motor structure mounted onthe above framework, preferably with the axis of rotation of the motor parallel with the extension of the rails. It includes a shaft C carrying a fly-Wheel C which.

- serves also as a drive wheel. The fify-wheel C is shown as having passingfabout it any suitable driving'belt C which passesalso about the driven pulley D. The driven puley D is provided with a shaft or axle D shown as mounted inroller bearings l1) ithin a cylindrical sleeve D mounted on any suitable bracket members D pivoted as at D to the frame or base members D D" is a lever which, in cooperation with the spring D tends to hold thepulley D in belt tightening and thus in driving position. D indicates any suitable means for securing the spring D to an. angular member D secured to the arcuate members B D isa driving connection for the flexible shaft member D which in turn .is sur rounded -by a flexible cover D Interposed between the pulley D and the shaft D is the following releasable driving connection. The shaft D has an enlarged portion E upon which is secured and held against rotation the clutch collar E which is provided with notches E in which seat locking balls or rollers E The 4 5; pulley D is provided withan opposed clutch member E similarly notched as at E to engage said balls, the pulley D being loosely mounted upon the enlarged portion E of the shaft as illustrated in Figure 3. The pulley is recessed as at E and opposed to said recess and extending about the cylindrical portion E of the pulley D is the-coil spring E Thisspring is compressed.- between the pulley D and the abutment block E held by the locking memberor nut El... The nut in turn is locked against rotation as by the ball E seating in the groove E and a screwthreaded outward extension E of the enlarged portion E of the shaft D The ball E is held in place as by a spring E It will be understood that the spring E tends to thrust the pulley, which is free to rotate and is slidably mounted on the enlarged portion E of the shaft, toward the clutch'collar E This grips the balls E in the opposed notches E and E Thus a driving connection is maintained. If the grinding tool or the flexible shaft is subjected to some predetermined excess strain, causing it to slow down its rotation and therefore causing a slowing of the rotation of the member E the balls will snap out of the slots E and E and relative rotation of the pulley D and the member E will be permitted, since the spring E will permit the pulley D'a certain measure of movement along the shaft E. This overload release serves to protect the flexible shaft from damage, in case the grinding element should become snagged and stop suddenly whenworking.

Whereas the present structure may be employed with a variety of grinding members, I

illustrate as a particular application of its use, a novel and efficient grinding wheel which is useful for grinding the flow from the switch point and the adjacent stock rail. This switch grinding cupwheel includes a cup-shaped grinding element G mountedon a hub or shaft G and compressed between two locking or holding members G bythe nut G G indicates a sleeve provided with roller or ball bearings G in which rotates.

the shaft G with its integral portion G Associated with the sleeve G is the arcuate walled guard G provided with a manually operable handle G". This guard is closed at-its rear as at G but is open at the front. The guard terminates, as at G adjacent or slightly below the axis of rotation of the grinding element G. The guard is herein shown as having outwardly projecting brackets G upon which are mounted rollers G The guard structure assembly is secured to the bearing sleeve G as by the clamp G about the split sleeve G which may be welded to the wall G made of insulating material.

- It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative.

and diagrammatic rather than as limiting me to my specific showing. 1

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

A typical embodiment of my invention is a grinding or cutting machine, which is particularly applicable for use on the rails ofa railway track. The motor is aligned over one rail of such a track and the shaft A provides a supporting connection withthe other rail. The inclined surfaces driving connection between the pulley D and the driven member D includes a pair of opposed These rollers may be slotted discs or tracks E E urged toward each other as by the spring E and normally maintained in driving connection by the balls E These balls may be carried and kept properly.

separated as by the guide disc or cage E When the load on the flexible shaft D becomes too great, the overload release spring. E. compresses,

allowing the overload release balls E to roll out of their slots, thus allowing the pulley to turn until the load is released, when it again picks up and turns the flexible shaftcore members D E.

As an example of a practical grinding element ing cup, but permitsthe grinding cup to engage the face of the rail. The handle Gr is shown as mounted on a plurality of handle brackets (3 1 and is arcuate, extending about an arc of about 180. This permits. it to be grasped readily from a variety of angles and also makes it easy to hold it with two hands, if that becomes necessary The result is a particularly efficient tool for grinding the flow of metal which occurs both on the stock rail and on the switch point, from the roll-.

ing of the car wheels. Such flow, if allowed 'tofl become too great, may interfere with the proper closing ofthe switch point against the stock rail,

thus allowing a flange of the car wheels 'to split the switch, railment.

In order to facilitate packing for shipping of grinding machines the transverse shaft A may be removably mounted in the depending flanges B as illustrated in Figure 10. I may employ spacing collars .Amand. cotter'pins A for'keeping the shaft. A in position.

Where the claims call for means'for bridging a pair of adjacent rail'sit will beunderstood that a distance between rails of substantially less than the normal track span is intended. Such'limitation will be understood in connection with Figure 8 which shows rails closely adjacent, as at or near a switch, in contrast to the full span of rails of a track. One of. the purposes of my inventhereby causing a'wreck 1or de V tion is to provide means for grinding the sides of rails, wherein the grinding element may penetrate between two closely adjacent rails, the supporting means engaging the tops of and spanning the rails and serving not merely to support but to guide the grinding element and tomaintain its axis horizontal.

The arcuate members or hoops B as shown for example in Fig. 2, are associated withthe chan- 1 nels B As shown in Fig; 2, they surround a motor structure or track working equipment and are adapted to protect it in case the device is rolled off the rail. A rolling action may readily take place if the'operator simply lifts up on the outer end of the member A The'whole device may then be readily rolled out of the way to one side of the track, in case a train has to pass; The

members B extend entirely above the top of the power plant C, making iteasy to roll the-device entirely over'into an upside down position. The members'B are strengthened by an' attachment to the longitudinal carrying members 13 shown 'in section in Fig. 2 and in side elevation in Fig. 1.

No. D may serve'as an attachment reinforcement for strengthening.

Iclaim: r I 1. In a track working machine, a motor and means for supporting it upon a track, a flexible shaft and a driving connection between said shaft and motor, a grinding element at the extremity of said flexible shaft and free for movement therewith, and auxiliary rail engaging supporting means for supporting the grinding element independently of the motor supporting means, said rail engaging supporting means including a member adapted to engage one rail of the track, a' guard associated therewith and handle means associated therewith, the grinding element being positioned in said guard and means for engaging a rail positioned intermediate the rails of the track and closely adjacent said one rail projecting from the opposite side of said guard.

2. In a track working machine, a motor and means for supporting it upon a track, a flexible shaft and a drivingconnection between said shaft and motor, a grinding element at the extremity of said flexible shaft and free for movement therewith, and auxiliary rail engaging supporting means for supporting the grinding element independently of the motor supporting means, said rail engaging supporting means being adapted to bridge a pair of adjacent rails, and an arcuate walled guard surrounding the upper portion of said grinding element, and a generally arcuate handle secured to said guard, and handle means associated therewith.

3. In a track working machine, a motor and means for supporting it "upon a track, a flexible shaft and a driving connection between said shaft and motor, a grinding element at the extremity of said flexible shaft and free for movement therewith, supporting rollers for said grinding element, said rollers comprising an auxiliary support for the grinding element and being dimensioned to bridge a pair of closely adjacent rails to support the grinding element independently of the motor supporting means, at least one of said adjacent rails being disposed intermediate the rails of the track, with the grinding element positioned between said rails. V

4. In a track working machine, a base, a motor mounted on said base, means for positioning said base on a track, a drive pulley for said motor,-a driven pulley, a belt connecting said drive and driven pulleys, an arm, on which said driven pulley is mounted, a pivotal connection between said arm and said base, and yielding means effective normally to rotate said arm into belt tightening position, a flexible shaft associated with said-driven pulley, a grinding element at the end of said flexible shaft, and an overload release intermediate said flexible shaft and driven pulley.

5. In a track working machine, 'a motor and means for supporting it upon a track, a flexible shaft and a driving connection between said shaft and motor, a grinding element at the extremity of said flexible shaft and free for movement therewith, and auxiliary rail engaging supporting means for supporting the grinding element independently of the motor supporting means, said rail engaging supporting means comprising a member extending laterally on either side of the grinding element and dimensioned to bridge a pair of closely adjacent rails at least one of which is intermediate the rails of said track, and handle means associated with said auxiliary supporting means.

6. In a track working machine, a motor and means for supporting it upon a track, a flexible shaft and a driving connection between said shaft and motor, a grinding element at the extremity of said flexible shaft and free for movement therewith, and auxiliary rail engaging supporting means for supporting the grinding element independently of the motor supporting means, said rail engaging supporting means being adapted to bridge a pair of closely adjacent rails at least one of which is intermediate the rails of said track, said laterally extending member being disposed substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said grinding member to maintain the axis of rotation of the grinding element horizontal, and handle means associated with said auxiliary supporting means. 7

7. In a track working machine, a motor and means for supporting it upon a track, a flexible shaft and a driving connection between said shaf and motor, a grinding element at the extremity of said flexible shaft and free for movement therewith, and auxiliary rail engaging supporting means for supporting the grinding element independently of the motor supporting means, said rail engaging supporting means comprising a member extending laterally on either side of the grinding element and dimensioned to bridge a pair of closely adjacent rails at least one of which is intermediate the rails of said track, and a guard surrounding the upper portion of said grinding element, and supported on said rail engaging supporting means, and handle means associated with guard and supporting means.

8. In a track working machine, a motor and means for supporting it upon a track, a flexible shaft and a driving connection between said shaft and motor, a grinding element at the extremity of said flexible shaft and free for movement therewith, and auxiliary rail engaging supporting means for supporting the grinding element independently of the motor supporting means, said rail engaging supporting means comprising a member extending laterally on either side of the grinding element and dimensioned to bridge a pair of closely adjacent rails at least one of which is intermediate the rails of said track, and a guard surrounding the upper portion of said grinding element, and handle means associated with guard and supporting means, said guard being open at the grinding face of the grinding element.

9. In a track working machine, a motor and means for supporting it upon a track, a flexible shaft and a driving connection between said shaft and motor, a grinding element at the extremity of said flexible shaft and free for movement therewith, and auxiliary rail engaging supporting means for supporting the grinding element independently of the motor supporting means, said rail engaging supporting means comprising a member extending laterally on either side of the grinding element and dimensioned to bridge a pair of closely adjacent rails at least one of which is intermediate the rails of said track, with the grinding element positioned between said rails, and handle means associated with said auxiliary supporting means.

HENRY H. TALBOYS. 

